Chair



Junev 19, 1945.

H. P. NORDMARK CHAIR Filed' May 12,l 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 ride/wer June 19, 1945.A H, p, NORDMARK 2,378,495

CHAIR Y Fled'May 12, 1941 6 Sheets-,Sheet 2 l @i l 'TIEN 5 June '19,- 1945.

H. P. NORADMARK CHAIR Filed May 12, 1941 sheets-sheet s Nordz-nars June 19, 1945'.

H. P. N ORDMARK CHAIR Filed May l2, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l SWW/whom A 11T enryP Tvrmcufk I www# Patented June 19, 1945 if j f UNITED STATES airsiv'rA OFFICE. g

Henry P. Nordmark,. Grand'Rapids, Mich., as-

signor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation-of New Jersey f Application May 12, 1941,'1s`eria1No. 392,995

13 Claims. (Cl. 15a-116)' The presentinvention relates to chairs, particularly chairs of the opera type; and its object isto provide a chair mounted on a fixed central support, and turnable horizontally thereon to desired releasably held positions; and further, to

provide such a chair-having a base and laterally extending opposite arms mounted on the base for forwardly-rearwardly swinging movement and supporting atk their free outer .ends upper parts of the chair including` its seat and back; and further, to provide forward and rearward pairs of such supporting arms; andr further, to provide means for connecting such upper parts and the free ends ofthe arms in free horizontally turnable relation; and further, to provide means for directing the forward-rearward movementof the arms and parts supported thereby; and further, to provide means for braking and limiting said forward-rearward movements; and further, to provide means for mounting the chairs back for rearwardly-downwardly turning movement, and for mounting the chairs seat for turning movement to raised and lowered positions; and further, to provide means for swinging the arms forwardly by the rearwardly-downwardly vturning movement ofA the back; and further, to provide a base portion of the chair comprising upper and lower spaced plates detachably connected between which the arms are at their inner ends pivotally mounted. i

These and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative chair structure particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying my invention, illustrating its seat raised and inmedial forwardly-rearwardly moved position;

Figure 2 is a like view thereof, but illustrating its seat in rearwardly moved position;

Figure k3 is anelevational side view of the same, illustrating its seat in lowered and in rearwardly moved position; y

Figure 4 is an elevational opposite side view of the same but illustrating its seat in forwardly moved position;

Figure 5 is a detail, horizontal sectional view of certain parts, taken on line 5'-5 of Figure 4;

Fig-ure 6 is an elevational front viewof lower parts of the chair;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the same, shown partially in horizontal section taken on line 1 'of Figure 6; l

` Figure 8 is a top plan view of middle portions of lower parts of the chair, shown partiallyin horizontal section taken on line B-B of Figure 9;

Figure `9 isa transverse vertical sectional view of said middle portions, taken on line 9 9 of Figure 8; Y -e f Figure 10 is a fragmentaryA front elevational view of said middle portions; K

Figure l1 is a vertical sectional viewY thereof taken on line I I-'I lof Figure 10; N

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view of some of said middle parts, taken on line I2-I 2 of Figure 9;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary top plan viewof certainrearward side-parts of the chair, shown partially in horizontal section taken on line I3-I 3 -of Figure 14;

Figure 14 is an elevational front view thereof, shown partially in vertical section taken on line I4-I 4 of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a View `of a short connecting link.

yThe chair illustrated bythese drawings has a central base which includes upper and lower spaced plates I, 2, detachably connected by threaded bolts 3, the lower plate 2 being mounted on a central support or pedestal 4 by a bolt 5 threaded thereinto.

Laterally extending opposite arms are pivotally mounted on the base for forwardly-rearwardly swinging movement together, being thus mounted, as shown, by balls 6 turning in cup bearings 1 in said plates and arms; and in the illustrated con-' oted at I3 on said legs and at I4 on said arms,

and the rearward legs I5 of the links I0 are connected with the rearward arms 9 inwardly 4from their free ends by like short links IB pivoted at I1 on said legs and at I8 on said arms, as best seen in Figure 7, these links I6 each comprising spaced parallel bars.

A horizontal plate I9 is connected adjacent its Y corners with the legs l I, I5 of the links I0 by the pivot pins I3 and Il; this plate has a forwardlyrearwardly extending rib 20 slidable in a guiding groove 2I in the bases upper plate I; and one pair (the forward pair 8, 8) of the arms have meshing toothed segments 22; all for effecting the simultaneous and corresponding forwardrearward movement of the arms and the parts carried thereby. Springs 26 connected to the forwardly turning movement relatively to these links f and to the chair-s seat. Said seat (i. e. its sheet metal bottom frame or pan 23) has flat supporting bars 24 securely fastened thereto onits opposite sides respectively by rivets 25 or the-like. This seat is mounted for turning movement to raised position (shown in Figures 1 and 2) and to lowered position of use (shown in Figures Sand 4), by the laterally extending spindles 32 carried by the links l0 rearwardly of the pivots 3l, these spindles extending into the vertically elongated slots 33 in the backs sides 29 and being movable upwardly-downwardly in these slots inrelative movements of seat 23-and back 28 (see Figures 5,

3 and 4). As clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, the spindles 32 are iixed to the flat'supporting bars 24 of the sea't and theyare Ajournaled in bearing openings in the links l0. lThis permits the seat to swing upwardly'or downwardly, the downward movement of the seat being limited by the means hereinafter described for supporting the seat in substantially a horizontal position' for use. v-

The lback 28 has elongated bearings (i. e. notches 34 extending upwardly from the bottom of its sides 29) into which bearings extend `the free ends ofv the rear arms S having anti-friction rolls on their vertical spindles 36 (as best seen in Figures 13 and 14). In Figures i3, 14 areA illustrated means whereby the forward-rearward movementsof the seat are yieldingly resisted or i lbraked, toward either end of such movements (i. e. when the arms 9 approach parallelism with said movements), by the increasing frictionl of the roll 3l (turnable on the pivot pin I8 on each arm 9) with the curved compressible orl resilient element 38 held in the socket 39 on the plate I9. The n ut 40 onthe threaded upper end of the pivot pin I8 is adapted to be turnedv-` down to increase the friction of the roll 3'! on the short link I6. With the turning of the arms 9 toward their extreme forward or rearward position, the `element 38 acts approximately as a stoplimiting such movement of the arms. v frictional engagement betweenthe nut, the roll, and the short link lE, the braking actiony of` the roll 3'1 and the link Il;v may be varied. When the arms 8' and 9 swing forwardly the short links |6 are carried inwardly and the pressure of the rolls 37 against thev elements 38 is increased, thepressure increasing as the short links l are carried inwardly.

In the seats lowered positionA of use the portions 4l of its side bars 24 rest on the shelf portions 42 of the links I0.

Alining 45 of felt or the like in the guiding,

By` varying? the but any other suitable material may of course be employed.

It will be seen that, the pressure of the chairs occupant on its back, causes the back to turn rearwardly-downwardly on its pivotal mounting 3i and relatively to the seat and to the links I0, and causes the seat to move forwardly, so that the chair now assumes the comfortable seating position seen in Figure 4. In said movements, the arms 8, 8 and 9, 9 swing forwardly, the notch bearings 34 in the backs sides engaging the rolls 35 on the rear arms to effect, or contribute to, the seats forward movement; and when the occupant rises the springs 26 return the parts to their position seen in Figure 3 and the seat may be turned about the axis of its mounting spindle 32 to its raised position seen in Figures 1` and 2 to provide more space for passing in front of the chair.

It will also be seen that this chair, whose base plate 2 rests on the flat top 48 of the central support or pedestal 4 (which is fastened on the floor), may be turned horizontally about the loosened bolt 5 to desired position for facing or orienting the chair in any determined direction,

in which position it may `be held `by turning down this bolt; and'also that, inasmuch as the chair is mounted on a central and single support, the floor thereabout may be easily swept and scrubbed.

Upholstery is shownvat 43, and arm rests at 44 on the upper ends of the backs sides 29.

` I claim:

l. Ina chair of the class described the combination ofa central base having detachably connected upper and lower spaced plates with pairs of aligned cup bearings in their adjacent sides; laterally extending opposite arms for supporting the chairs seat having inthe upper and the lowerisides of their inner ends aligned cup bearings; balls turning in the registering cup bearings of the plates and arms for mounting the arms horizontally swingable on the base.

2. A chair. of the class described comprising in combina-tion a base. front and rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs-at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon, linksY connecting 'the free ends oftlie arms and located at opposite sides of the chair, ait chair seat pivotally connected to the links for upward and downward swinging movement. and means for limiting the downward movement of the seat to support the same in substantially horizontal position.

i, 3. rA chair of the class described comprising in combination a base, front and rear horizontally swingable, laterallyA extending arms mounted on the base arrangedin pairs at opposite sides of the base,- links connecting thefreeends of the arms and-located at opposite'sidesof the chair, a chair back supported by said links, a chair seat pivotally connectedto the links for upward and downward swingingmovement, and means for limiting the downward swingingmovement of the seat to sup-- port the same in substantially horizontal position.`

' 4. A chair. of the class described comprising in 'combination a base, front and rear horizontally and a back mounted on the links for rearward and downward turning movement.

5. A chair of the class described .comprising in combination a base, front and rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon, links connecting the free ends of the arms and located at'oppo'site sides of the chair, a seat connected at its sides with the links for turning movement to raised and lowered positions and having a limited downward movement. and a back mounted on the links for rearward and downward turning movement and having bearings receiving the free ends of. the rear arms for swinging the arms forwardly with the rearward downward turning movement of the back. y

6. A chair of the class describedv comprising in combination a` base, front and rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs at opposite sides of thebase and pivotally mounted thereon, links connecting the arms, a chair seat carried by said links, a back mounted on the links for rearward and downward turning movement, means for effecting forward movement of rthe arms when the back is subjected to rearward pressure, and yieldable means for urging the arms rearwardly when the back is relieved of pressure.

7. A chair of the class described comprising in combination a base, front Aand rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon, a seat, a pair of links supporting the seat and having forward and rearward leg portions connected with the free ends of the front and rear arms, and a back mounted on the links for rearward and downward turning movement.

8. A chair of the class described comprising in combination a base, front and rear horizontallyy swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon, links connecting'the free ends of the arms and located at opposite sides of the chair, a seat,` a back mounted on the links for rearward and downward turning movement and having sides provided with vertically extending slots, spindles pivotally connecting thev seat to the links and projecting therefrom into the slots of the sides of the back, and means for limiting the downward movement of the seat for supporting the same in substantially horizontal position.

9. A chair of the class described comprising in combination a base, front and rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in f pairs at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon, links connecting the free ends of the arms and located at opposite sides of the chair, a seat, a back mounted on the links for rearward-and downward turning movement and having sides provided vwith vertically vextending slots, spindles pivotally connectingr the seat to the links and projecting therefrom into 'the slots of the sides of the back, said back-having vertically elongated bearing slots in its sides receiving the free ends of the rear arms for swinging the latter forwardly with the rearward downward turning movement of the back.

10. In a chair, the combination of a base, front and rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon,.a hori-4 zontally disposed plate turnably connected adjacent its forward corners with the free ends of the front arms andl adjacent its rear corners with the rear arms for eiecting movement of all the arms simultaneously, a seat, and means for supporting the `seat on the arms.

11. In a chair, the combination of a base, front and rear horizontally swingable, laterally extending arms arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the base and pivotally mounted thereon, a horizontally disposed plate turnably connected adrjacent its forward corners with the free ends of the front arms and adjacent its rear corners with the rear arms for effecting movement of all the arms simultaneously, said plate having a depending forwardly and rearwardly extending rib and the base having a forwardly and rearwardly extending groove wherein said rib is slidably guided in forward and rearward movements of the plate, a seat, and means for supporting the seat on the arms.

12. In a chair of the class described, the combination of a central base, a pair of laterally' extending arms for supporting the chairs seat and mounted on the base for horizontally forward and rearward swinging movement, means for braking said movement including a plate, means pivotally connecting said plate with the arms 4 adjacent their free ends for direct forward and 'tional engagement with the peripheries of the circular brake members certain of said means comprising links pivotally connected with the` plate and said spindles, the spindles having -threaded ends and provided with nuts turnable into frictional engagement with the circular -brake members.

13. In a chair of the class described, the combination of a central base, a pair of laterally extending opposite arms for supporting the chairs seat mounted on the base for horizontally forward and rearward swinging movement, means `for braking said movement, said means including a plate-pivotally connected withthe arms adjacent their rfree ends for direct forward and rearward movement with the arms in their` swinging movement, convex Vbrake members movable with the arms in their swinging movement, and concave brake members on the plate in frictional braking engagement with the convex brake members.

HENRY P. NORDMARK. 

